Energy Pipeline: Working through the holidays is common in the oil patch

It's good to have an understanding family, especially if you're working through the holidays.

For 46 years, Ed Pilcher, a drilling superintendent with Integrated Petroleum Technologies, has toiled in the oil patch, holidays included. That's just standard operating procedure.

"My wife's been a real trooper," Pilcher said. "She understands that sometimes I'm going to be away from home. We raised five kids. It's a good living. I was able to provide a good living for my family, and my kids went to private school and I was able to do that because I worked in the oil field.

"There have been times when it's been hard to miss birthdays and holidays, but like I say, my wife has always been a good partner in that and she understands and we've just dealt with absences the best we can."

Pilcher's company employs 161 with the bulk of them working in the fields. Those employees work for two weeks, followed by two weeks off. In general, the company does not shut down for the holidays — even Christmas.

"You only work six months out of the year anyway so nobody really complains. If they work a holiday one year, they know they'll get it off the next year," Pilcher said. IPT is an engineering company based out of Golden.

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In an industry that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the holidays can sometimes be challenging for employees and their families. However, several oil and gas industry spokespeople said employees generally know going into the job that working a holiday is likely. Many companies don't put a second thought to the holidays, and employees know that going in, officials say.

"We really can't shut down. In the office setting things settle down as most industries, but business continues," said Doug Hock, spokesman for Encana. "Wells are still pumping. I doubt there's much drilling on Christmas Day, but if a project is ongoing we can't just stop it."

Like many oil and gas companies, Encana's administrative offices are closed Christmas Day. Pending approval, employees who have built up vacation time may decide to use it during the December holiday. With 1,300 wells in the area, however, a handful of employees are needed to keep watch, no matter the day.

John Ed Singleton, area superintendent for Bill Barrett Corporation out of Greeley, agreed it comes as little surprise to hands-on oil and gas workers they may end up working a holiday like Christmas.

"Sometimes it's better to work during the holidays," he said. "You can get a lot done. There's no one to distract you."

Bill Barrett employees who work Christmas are paid double-time and employees also receive a cash bonus around Thanksgiving, Singleton said.

"It definitely helps to kind of kick off your Christmas gift buying if that's what they elect to use it for. Or pay a bill or two," Singleton said.

The company has about 250 employees in Colorado and typically hosts a Christmas party for employees and their families.

"The corporate office has theirs and we have ours," Singleton said. It typically consists of dinner at a nice restaurant along with door prizes and games. Singleton said they try to host it on a Saturday evening so workers in the fields can be included.

"That way the guys in the field can get their routes taken care of and get finished early and be able to get home, get cleaned up, pick up their spouse and come back to the party."

Like the others, the Bill Barrett doesn't completely shut down Dec. 25.

"We might try to slow down during these times, but we're still going," Singleton said. "There's going to be movement in the industry all through the holiday season."

Since the holidays can be busy for a lot of employees, Encana last year held its holiday party in January. Hock said the company plans to do so again this year. The company typically rents a hotel banquet room and hosts music, hors de' ouvres and last year the CEO from Calgary, Canada, joined the Colorado party.

Encana also has a bonus program, but it's not linked to the Christmas holiday.

"Our bonus program is tied to our whole compensation package and that typically happens in the spring," Hock said.

Encana employs about 1,000 in Colorado with its U.S. headquarters based in Denver. Halliburton is another company that slows during the holidays, but doesn't completely shut down.

"Office support staff employees get Christmas day as a holiday," said Susie McMichael, senior public relations representative for Halliburton. "Field operations employees work their normal business hours unless our customer shuts down operations on the wellsite that day."

With an estimated 2,000 employees in Colorado, holiday parties are decided upon by individual office management, McMichael said. To celebrate the season, employees in the Brighton, Denver and Highland Ranch offices participate in the Toys for Tots program. Halliburton also sponsors for the Brighton Parade of Lights and will have a float in its parade.

"Halliburton, its employees and the Halliburton Foundation contribute to nonprofits and educational institutions in Colorado throughout the year," McMichael said.

Halliburton's regional headquarters for Colorado and 10 other western states is in Denver. Halliburton has about 40 facilities in Colorado, with two major operating locations in Grand Junction and Fort Lupton.

It's easy to think about charitable giving during the holiday season, but Halliburton isn't the only oil company that makes contributions throughout the year.

Students and teachers at Mead Elementary School were recipients of a $70,000 grant from Encana in the spring. The school purchased five iPad minis for each of its 20 classrooms and about 50 laptop computers for its 503 preschool through fifth-graders.

"We're very appreciative for the community partnership that our district has with Encana," said Mead Principal Betsy Porter.

Clients of the Mead Community Food Bank received turkeys for Thanksgiving and will receive hams for Christmas thanks to $1,000 donated from Encana. Throughout the year, Encana supports mobile food pantries in Weld County and employees are committed to ongoing volunteer support at pantry locations in Frederick and Fort Lupton.

"The charitable part is just how we do business," said Hock of Encana. "We try to support agencies and nonprofits in areas where we work."

Anadarko Petroluem, as well, touts its 1,500-strong workforce volunteering in the community, especially with Volunteers of America's Baskets of Joy program.

"This has always been the bedrock of our culture and our values of integrity and trust, people and passion, open communication and commercial focus," said Robin Olsen, spokeswoman for Anadarko. "More than just donation money, we give of ourselves for the good of our neighbors families and communities. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season."